Winchester Tails
by Giacinta2
Summary: Mermaid AU. Mary lives in the ocean, and as in the best of fairy tales, she meets a human and falls in love. Unfortunately her actions will affect her family, especially her sons, in ways she never would have expected. Gen. Sam and Dean.
1. Chapter 1

The sea-witch Janara sighed. "You're aware the spell brings with it a curse?"

The mermaid nodded.

"And that I can't say what the curse will entail, for it's tailored to the one who benefits from the spell.  
My child, I would strongly advise you to reconsider. Can the need to have this human as your spouse be so overwhelming as to make you go down such a dark, dangerous road?"

"I love him water-witch. I want no other," the young mermaid declared stubbornly. "Whatever the curse may be, I will deal with it when it emerges."

"You make it sound so easy, Mary, but this spell has not been used in centuries. I, who am a witch, would not cast it for myself."

"It's the only way John and I can be together," Mary said shrugging off the warning.

:

The witch sighed. "There are many handsome young mermen you could choose from. Why him? And what does the human say? Is he willing to leave the dry world behind to live in the ocean? What of his family, his friends?  
Most important, is he willing to live under the shadow of a curse?"

"He's an only child, his parents dead, and he loves me as much as I love him. So cast the spell, sea-witch. As for the curse, he must never know!"

At Mary's words, the witch stared at her, shocked. "You have not warned him of the consequences of the spell? You must. The human has the right to know."

"No! Nothing is going to ruin our happiness. Cast the spell!" Mary repeated.

:

Janara browsed though her Grimoire. There was nothing more she could do to dissuade the young mermaid.  
Her palm had been crossed with sea-gold, and she was honour-bound to carry out her petitioner's request.

As soon as the witch pronounced the final words of the spell, Mary turned on her tail and with strong, swift, strokes made her way to the deep pool where she'd encountered the tall handsome human, smiling as she remembered his awe and wonder the first time John laid eyes on her.

The meeting had been accidental.  
Few came near the little pool. It was situated under an outcrop of sheer rocks which discouraged climbers or beachcombers of any kind.

:

She shouldn't have been there at all.  
It was forbidden to the merpeople to swim too close to the shoreline, but that made the little pool even more appealing to the young merteens, It was the perfect place for the curious to catch a glimpse of the strange two-legged beings who inhabited the dry land.

Now Mary was filled with anxiety. Had the spell worked? Had John become like her? Could their love have a future?

Just as she entered the pool, she was gripped by a strong pair of arms as John embraced her from behind, his face nuzzling into her hair.

"It worked, John, " Mary cried out in joy. "It really worked."

She wriggled out of her lover's hold and turned to face him.  
Her heart somersaulted in her breast as she took in the transformation.  
Instead of legs, John sported a long muscular tail, its scales glistening blue-grey through the clear water of the pool.

He grinned at her. "You like what you see?"

In all answer, Mary circled his neck with her arms, pulling him in for a kiss, filled with anticipation at the thought of their life together; the curse the witch had warned her about was pushed to the side, completely forgotten.

:

Two years later.  
-

When their baby arrived, the young parents were overcome with happiness. It was a boy, perfect in every way, its tail tiny and emerald-hued.

They called it Dean after Mary's mom Deanna.  
The child grew strong and beautiful, sweet and affectionate, and when four years later, Mary found herself pregnant once more, her and John's marital bliss just kept on growing and expanding.

Baby Sammy was the cutest little merbaby ever, his tiny tail, a mix of blue and green.  
Even four year old Dean was immediately smitten by his baby brother, and when little Sammy gave him a toothless smile, he was totally bewitched.

Mary's parents, Deanna and Samuel, once they'd gotten over their prejudice at their daughter having married a human, came to love their two beautiful grandchildren, adding even more fuel to the fire of Mary's contentment.

:

Eight years later

"Come on Dean, Let's race to the Coral rocks and back. I bet I can beat you now," eight year old Sammy said, swishing his tail in excitement.

"Squirt. I'm twice your size and my tail is super-fast. Go take on some of your geeky friends. Then you might have a chance!" Dean replied mussing his baby brother's hair, which floated around his face like brown sea-weed.  
"And you seriously need a hair-cut, kid. Even if we did race, you couldn't see where you're going with all that fluff in your eyes. Get yourself an awesome buzz-cut like mine."

But Sam only whacked his brother's hand away and pouted. "I like my hair the way it is."

"Fine, but don't come crying when you smash your face against something harder than your stubborn little head!  
You don't want to be the ugliest guest at my Crossover party tonight, dude. I'm twelve now, " Dean puffed out his chest in pride. "I've officially left childhood behind. You're gonna have to pay me the respect I deserve, kiddo!"

Sam gave a snort. "Ha, ha! I might do that when you stop acting like a two-year old."

"Just for that, I'm gonna take up your offer of a race, show you who's the two year old around here!" Dean grinned, coiling his tail muscles in anticipation of a quick get-away.

But that was as far as Dean got before he heard Sam's panicked cries filter through the intense pain which had taken hold of him.  
He felt as if his body was being torn apart, and that somehow he was drowning in the water which had kept him alive all these years.

:  
TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry if it didn't come over too clearly at the end of the chapter who was hurting.

So just to clear that up and because some of you seem to be enjoying the fic, I've posted a second chapter.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::..

Dean couldn't capacitate himself as to what was happening. He had no parameters to confront his situation. All he knew was that he was no longer able to breathe!

The other transformation his body was undergoing didn't even register, so compulsive was his need to inhale.

:

He was vaguely aware of his little brother's wails of despair, his cries for help; help for his big brother who was having some sort of seizure.

Just when Dean thought he was about to die, the agony in his body unbearable, he found himself breaking water, the azure sky appearing like a benevolent mother above him.

Once again his lungs pleaded for a breath, a attempt in extremis to keep his body alive, and contrary to all Dean could have expected, his lungs filled with the dry air of the upper world; that world where the merpeople could only resist for a handful of minutes at a time without the need to plunge back into the life-giving ocean.

The respiratory organs which had once filtered oxygen from the warm ocean, were now, between water-filled vomits, breathing in the air with a relieved rhythm.

:

"Dean," his father's gruff voice sounded in his ear, "Are you okay, son? You breathing now?"  
Dean nodded, and he heard his parent's sigh of relief.

"What happened to me, dad?" he asked confused, his panicked breaths levelling out into shaky puffs.  
"I don't know, son. When I heard Sam's shouts, I came swimming. And when I saw you, I guessed what the problem was."

"What are you talking about, Dad? What problem?"

"You don't feel any different? " John asked with a preoccupied glance.  
"I couldn't breathe. That's all I was thinking about."

"Run your hands down your body, son."

Dean frowned and went to flip up his tail, but to his horror, all that moved were two human legs.

His tail, his awesome, muscular tail had disappeared and in its place were two spindly, useless limbs.

:

"Dad?" Dean's face was a picture of despair as he searched out his father's eyes.  
John ducked his head under water to take a breath, and to wonder himself at what the fuck had happened to his eldest.

It's not that John didn't know what Dean had become.  
He'd been a human himself before he'd fallen in love with the beautiful mermaid he'd caught sight of in a rocky pool, and for whose love he'd left behind the dry world to live beneath the ocean with her.  
But _ **that**_ had been possible only due to a witch's spell, a transformation one, which he'd agreed to undergo.

John had never had any regrets. He loved Mary with all his heart, and adored the two merbabies he'd had with her.

The why of Dean's transformation into a human was a mystery to him. But, at least his son was alive, even if in another form. He hadn't lost him to death, and that could only be a plus.

As his head came back up, he sensed his wife's presence at his side.  
She'd been occupied with the preparations for Dean's coming of age, his entry into adulthood, the Crossover ceremony which every child went through on his twelfth birthday, and had been told about what had happened by a terrified Sammy.

"Dean," she said, pulling her eldest into her arms. "Oh, Dean!"

"Mom," the boy murmured, tears filling his green eyes."Mom, what's wrong with me?"  
Mary took a deep breath, aware of John's eyes on her, and of a worried Sam, who'd popped up at her side.  
"I'm not sure, " she sighed. "But I'm afraid I might have an idea."

Three pairs of eyes stared at her. Now that Dean was safe, even in this changed state, the focus was on the why it had happened.  
And by Mary's cowed expression, she knew something about it.

"Mary?" John asked.  
"I'm not going to say until I'm sure," she said, playing for time. "I need to consult a person first."

"But you suspect what the reason might be?"  
"Perhaps, " she acknowledged, remembering the sea-witch's warning from years before. "But we have a more urgent problem now. If Dean is human, then it's impossible for him to live as he has before."

"Mom, no! " Sam piped up. "I don't want to be without Dean."

He threw himself onto his brother hugging him.

:

Dean realised he was treading water, floating as he'd seen humans do. He no longer had the merman capacities of before.  
It was the first time his situation had really registered.

He was different, he could no longer live beneath the seas with his family.  
Now he was an outcast.

His arms tightened around his little brother, and his eyes filled with tears once more.  
tbc


	3. Chapter 3

The little family moved in unison, Dean in the centre, the other three surrounding him protectively.  
Their undersea home was far from land, their now human member unable to reach the shore-line under his own power.  
Dean held on to his parents as they carried him speedily along, their meta the rocky pool where Mary had first encountered John.

:

Once Dean would've been able to swim the distance in record time but it was no longer so, handicapped by a body ill-suited to the seas.  
As they sped through the water, each was caught up in their own thoughts.

Mary was concentrated on how to fix this, knowing the only way was to go back to Janara and beg for her help. There HAD to be something the water-witch could do, some way of reversing the curse.

John on the other hand, mused at the irony of what had happened to his first-born.  
He himself had been ecstatic at becoming a merman and being able to join his love beneath the oceans, yet here was Dean, undergoing the opposite transformation.

The question being why? What was the cause? Was it his fault? Had John infringed some taboo when he'd been turned into a merman? Was his son paying the price?  
The sins of the fathers...?

All Sam could think of was that his big brother had almost died, and he'd been so scared.  
Now he was going to be taken from him, not by death, but by some freak accident which had given him legs instead of the tail Dean had been so proud of.  
They had to find a cure, or he and his sibling could never again race each other under the waves, nor share their sleeping space, nor do any of the things they loved doing together.

But, Sam vowed fiercely, that wasn't an option, because if he had to, he'd search the seven seas to find a cure for his big brother.

:

Holding onto his parents as they chewed up the sea-miles, Dean was completely distraught.  
He was freaked by the difference in his lower body, the legs weak in comparison to his solid, muscular tail.  
Why had this happened to him? How could his perfect world have fallen apart in a split-second?

He'd been so geared up for his Crossover party, his entry into adulthood, when his sexual organs would come into maturity and he'd be respected as a full merman, no longer regarded as a child.  
Now none of that would happen.

Dean knew where they were going.  
He'd been to the deep pool; swimming that far was a 'do or dare' among the younger merkids. What Dean didn't know was that his dad had been a human before marrying his mom and that very pool was where they'd first met.

:

Mary and John had discussed the matter, and decided not to tell their sons. What was the point? It would only have generated needless curiosity on Sam and Dean's part.  
Truly the only ones who did know, other than the water-witch, were Mary's mother and father, and they'd preferred not to say anything to their friends and relatives.

Humans weren't exactly welcome in the Merworld.  
The Merpeople had been witness to many examples of their cruelty towards the large seas creatures throughout the centuries, to be particularly well-disposed towards them.

No, a fictional story of John having come from a far-off clan of mermen was given when anyone asked how he and Mary had met.

:

In the distance, the shore-line came into view, but its sight merely made the little family feel even worse.  
What were they going to do once they'd reached the pool? How could they leave Dean there on his own? He was only twelve, he needed his parents and they needed him.  
Four pairs of eyes gazed at the overhanging rocks with trepidation.

"Mom, dad," Dean murmured. "What's gonna happen to me?"

"Hey, hey," John broke in. "Nothing's gonna happen, kiddo. This is just a momentary glitch. We'll figure this out. We're not gonna leave you. Your mom or I will be hanging here in the pool until we think this through."

"What's there to think about?" Sam broke in, eyes tearful."How can we leave Dean here on his own? You have to find a way of changing him back."  
"We will," Mary said. "But for now Dean has to stay on dry land. He'll die if he comes back home with us."  
Sam threw himself onto his brother. "I'm not leaving Dean," he said stubbornly. "I'm gonna camp out here in the pool until he can come back with me!"

But John wasn't sure things would pan out as Sam wished.  
It was fine to hope, but it might be that Dean would have to say good-bye to the seas for a much longer time.  
tbc


	4. Chapter 4

"John. I have to go back. I need to ask advice on what to do," Mary said.

"Yeah," John agreed, "but if there's not gonna be a quick cure for Dean, we're going to have to let him go and live on dry land. He can't remain for ever with us here in this pool."

"I'm aware," Mary answered. "If there's anyone who can help Dean prepare for that eventuality, it's you John," she pointed out.

Turning to her youngest she ruffled his hair. "Sammy, you're sure you don't want to come home with me. Staying here won't help Dean, and dipping down into the water to breathe every few minutes is gonna tire you out."  
Vehemently, Sam shook his head. "I'm staying. Dad'll look out for me."

:

With a last hug of encouragement to her eldest, she reassured him."Don't worry, son. I'm sure we can fix this."  
"Mom," Dean answered, returning the hug, "what if it can't be fixed?"

"I'd better go," she said, releasing him and making for the open sea, leaving three pairs of eyes staring worriedly after her.

:

:

An arm around his son's chest, giving him support as he treaded water, John let out a sigh.  
"Dean, there 's something Mom and I have never told you, not because we didn't want to, simply because we didn't think it was relevant."  
He hesitated before continuing. "Here in this pool is where your mom and I first met."

The two boys stared at him, sensing he was going to reveal something important.

"When I first set eyes on her, I'd never seen anything so beautiful. It was love at first sight. And I know it was the same for her, but right from the start there was a huge obstacle to our love.  
I know this is gonna come as a shock to you boys, but we never believed we could be together because she was a mermaid and... I... was human."

John felt Dean's body stiffen beneath his arm, and two pairs of eyes stared at him incredulous.

"No, dad! " Dean exclaimed in disbelief. "That can't be."

"Dad, what are you saying?" Sam echoed his brother. "Humans can't change into merpeople."

"No, they can't, " John agreed, "but your mom and I were so determined to have a future together that she resorted to 'unorthodox methods' to allow me to become a merman."

"What kind of methods?" Dean asked, confused.

""I'm not quite sure exactly what she did, though I do know it involved a spell. Some witch she'd heard of who'd done this before for others."

"But magic is bad, " Sam declared swimming to his brother's side and curling his tail around one of Dean's legs. "You think Dean becoming human has something to do with that spell?"

"Who knows," John shrugged. "Maybe my human genes were passed onto Dean and remained dormant until the eve of his Crossover. But I'm only guessing. Perhaps mom will find a better answer."

Dean laid an arm around his brother's slim shoulders. "Does that mean it could happen to Sammy too?" he asked in a distressed voice.

John pulled both his sons into a hug. "I don't know Dean. I just don't know."

:

Even if the weather was warm, the older man knew Dean couldn't stay immersed forever. His son would have to take his first steps on the shore, learn to walk as a new baby does; only he hoped Dean would get the hang of it a lot quicker, he'd have to!

"Dean, I want you to do something for me. It's time to move onto dry land. There's something buried back amid the rocks that you need to go get."

"No, Dad. I don't wanna!" Dean declared.  
Sam's no came quickly after his brother's. "We can wait for mom to come back first."

"Listen, kiddo, there's no guarantee she'll find an answer quickly, and in the meantime Dean has to learn how to manage on land. Come on, son. I'll help you as much as I can. Walking on two legs isn't all that difficult. It just takes a little practice."

:

With an unsure nod, Dean swam the few yards to the shore, missing the familiar swish of his tail, but determined to get to grips with this new body.

"Now pull yourself out, rest on your hands and fold your legs up beneath you. You've seen how the turtles crawl with their four. You do the same and head for that rock. Once there, hoist yourself up onto your feet and hold on until you get the hang of standing up"

Dean glanced back dubious at his dad, but followed the instructions, and soon he was balancing upright against the rock wall.  
"Good, son. You did real good. Now try putting one leg in front of the other, keeping hold for support."

:

As Sam watched his big brother grapple with the art of human walking, he could feel his eyes filling with tears.  
There was no doubt in his mind that Dean would manage to do all he needed to survive on dry land.  
His big brother was a quick learner. Thing was, if this couldn't be fixed, he and Dean would never be like they once were. They'd be brothers apart.

:

:

Dean's cry of triumph split the balmy air as he took shaky but ever more confident steps along the gravelly sand.  
"That's my boy, " John grinned in pride. "Soon you'll be no different to the humans who were born that way. But now you have to go deeper into the rocks until you come to one which looks like a heart. You'll know it's the right one 'cause it's the only small outcrop around. If you dig down deep, you'll find a bundle wrapped in a waterproof tarpaulin. Bring it back here."

Dean nodded.  
His emotions were on overdrive, fear for what had happened, for what might be if his mom couldn't turn him back, of losing his family; yet he also felt the thrill of the unknown.  
The merpeople shared the planet with humans but their dry world was out of reach of the water-breathing race.  
Now, like his father, he'd get the chance to explore both.

He turned his back on the ocean and following his dad's instructions, he dug out the bag, and tottering a little under its weight, he carried it back to the water's edge.

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

He turned his back on the ocean and following his dad's instructions, dug out the bag, and tottering a little under its weight, he brought it back to the water's edge.  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

"That's the one, Dean," John said.

"How did you know there was a bag there?" Sam asked, ever curious.  
"Because I put it there, squirt," his dad replied ruffling Sam's hair. "I buried the last mementos of my human life in that."

He turned back to Dean who had fallen to his knees beside the voluminous bundle.  
"Unwrap the tarpaulin, kiddo."

His son obeyed and a dark green duffel appeared.  
"See that little knob on the end there. Pull it right back and the bag will open," John added, indicating the zip.

:

With an apprehensive expression, Dean gripped the tab and pulled, but the zipper had no intention of collaborating.  
Being buried for more than twelve years, even covered with plastic, wasn't particularly conducive to keeping zippers in good condition but Dean wasn't gong to be defeated by such a mechanism, and with a last tug, managed to unzip the bag. The two sides fell apart like open lips, revealing the contents.

"You'll find clothes inside, Dean. They were mine," John said.  
"In the dry world, you're going to have to wear them. They're too big, but for now you can roll up the pant legs and shirtsleeves."

Warily, Dean delved into the duffel and rummaged around, eventually pulling out a shirt and jeans.  
"Good, Dean. Now put them on," John encouraged.

The clothes hung off the boy, but he did as his father said, rolling up the sleeves and trouser bottoms.

:

During all this, Sam had been looking on uneasily. Seeing his brother with legs was shocking enough, but with the human clothes covering his body he looked even more unfamiliar.

When Dean had finished dressing, he glanced over at Sam as if looking for support, and the younger boy quickly hid any worry, replacing it with an encouraging smile.  
"It's gonna be okay, Dean. You'll see. Mom will find a way to get you back to normal."

"Thanks Sammy, " Dean nodded, but his heart was heavy. Just by being on the sand, he was already, cut off from his family.

:

"Now Dean, see if you can find a wallet. It's a dark shiny square."

Dean pulled it out and waved it in the air.  
John nodded. "Look inside and you'll find coins. That's the dry world's money."  
"Like our golden auras." Sam asked.

"Yeah, just like those."

"You see that building way down the shore, Dean? You're going to have to be brave and go there. Outside there's what's called a pay-phone.  
There's a little book in my duffel with telephone numbers. The pay phone has a dial with the same numbers. You have to key in a certain line of digits and a voice will reply.

Both boys stared at him, confused.

"Dad, I don't know if I can," Dean said.

"You're going to have to," John insisted. "That number will connect you to an old friend of my family called Bobby Singer. You tell him John Winchester needs his help. You'll find a series of coordinates on the page too, next to Bobby's number.  
Give them to Bobby and tell him to get his ass over here as quick as he can."

"Dad," Dean tried again.

"Listen, kiddo. I've got every confidence in your mom, but if you have to remain as a human for a longer time, you can't stay here on the beach. You're only twelve, and some humans can be very dangerous. You need somewhere to go, and someone to look after you.  
Bobby's a good man. He'll care for you if things with mom don't work out."

:

"Dad," Sam butted in, his voice filled with anguish. "You can't send Dean away."

"Sammy. I know you love your brother and don't want to lose him, but he can't remain on the beach. Anything could happen to him."

"But we can take turns to stay here and keep him company."  
"No, Sammy. We can't come to his rescue if he's in trouble. We can't leave the water. He needs human help now."

"But Dad..."

:

John turned to his eldest. "Do you understand my instructions? "  
"Yeah. I've got the page with the number and the other set of digits underneath."

"Be careful, Dean. Go directly to the pay-phone. Tell Bobby I need him. Give him the co-ordinates and tell him to come as soon as he can and to bring some food and water too."

The twelve-year old took one last look at his father and little brother bobbing in the pool, turned and with a shaky, shambling, gait began to walk towards the far-off building.

:

Dean found the phone easily enough and slipped the coins into the slit, then composed Bobby's number.  
The mechanism made a few strange sounds before a gruff voice replied.  
"Hello."

Swallowing nervously, Dean rallied his courage and replied.  
"John Winchester sent me. He says you gotta come as soon as you can."

"Who is this?" Bobby asked. "Is this a prank of some kind?"

"No. I'm John Winchester's son and he says you have to come to these co-ordinates and bring food and water."

"John's kid? You beside the ocean, by any chance.?"  
"Uh-huh. Here are the co-ordinates."

"Just a second son. I need a pen... Go!"  
Dean dictated the numbers.

"Okay, kid. Tell John I'll be there as soon as I can."  
"Thanks," Dean said, ending the call.

He made his way hastily back to where his family was waiting, hoping his mom had already returned, but knowing instinctively that his odyssey was just beginning.  
tbc


	6. Chapter 6

Mary's mad dash though the warm waters of the ocean would've put an Olympic swimmer to shame, though she did have the advantage of a powerful tail instead of two legs.

Nevertheless, the journey to the sea-witch's cave seemed never-ending. When she reached the entrance to Janara's grotto she stopped to rest for a moment and calm her thumping heart before confronting her.  
Taking a deep breath she entered the cave.

The witch seemed exactly the same as she'd been years ago when Mary had come begging for help; suspended in time, untouched and unaffected by anything that happened outside of her refuge.

:

"Janara," Mary began with a mote of hesitation. "I need your help. My son has been turned into a human, he can no longer live underwater."

"There's nothing I can do for you. I warned you at the time," the witch answered, not even bothering to lift her eyes from the spell-book she was browsing.

"But what has happened to my son can surely be reversed?"  
"No! You knew beforehand there would be a price to pay for your wish. That time has arrived. You must live with the consequences."

"Then use the spell again. The one you cast on John."

"Will you never learn, Mary? Each time the spell is used, it is accompanied by a curse. Though your son has been deprived of his home beneath the sea, he still has his life. You, and he, have gotten off lightly. The boy could have died or worse. Be thankful!"

"Thankful that he is an outcast, doomed to live out his life far from his home and family?" she cried.

"You are wearying me, mermaid. There is nothing I can do for you or your son. And I will not be persuaded to cast another similar spell.  
I may be a sea-witch, but even we have our Code. Go now, and reap what you have sown."

"Then I will find another way," Mary said.  
"That is your privilege, " Janara replied. "But you would do better to heed my warning and leave well alone."

With that, Mary found herself outwith the witch's lair, the opening to the grotto barred and closed.  
She hammered at the entrance until her hands ached, but to no avail.

:

Admitting to herself there was nothing else she could do for now, Mary swam to her parents' home.  
Deanna and Samuel were horrified when their daughter garbled out what had happened, but her father couldn't help the words that slipped out.

"We were never happy with your marriage to the human," he said. "But we wouldn't have wanted for this to happen to our grandson. No blame can be put on the child's shoulders, only on yours, Mary."

"Samuel! " his wife chided. "This is not the time. Can't you see how upset Mary is? What's done is done. We have to do all we can to help."

"Thanks, mom," Mary said, giving her mother a watery smile. "But now I need to go. Bring back some food to the others. Sammy and... Dean'll... be hungry."

"There, now," Deanna said consolingly. "I'm sure things will work out. I've got stuff here I'd prepared for Dean's crossover. Take some with you."

Mary set off back to the pool, fish rolls and kelp mousse, Dean's favourites, placed with care in her hand-basket.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

John glanced up at the sky, the first shadows of evening were falling.  
His son would have to pass the night on dry land.

He cursed his inability to help Dean, other than with words of advice, but he wasn't going to start with the 'what ifs'.  
He'd freely made the choice to become a merman.  
There was no point in recriminating, but as he contemplated the miserable expressions on both his children's faces, he couldn't help himself.

He shouldn't have defied nature, not even for love. He'd been born a human and maybe that's how he should've remained.

When Mary popped up beside beside him, John drew a sigh of relief. "You got good news, Mary?" he asked.  
But his wife shook her head.

"Mom, no! " Sam cried.  
"Sorry, Sammy. I have nothing, but that doesn't mean we won't get things fixed. We're just gonna need more time."

:

Sam swam to the edge of the pool and held his hand out to Dean, who took it in his larger one.  
"I know I'm only a kid, Dean. But whatever happens, I'm never gonna stop looking for a way to get you back," he said, his tears mixing with the sea water spotting his cheeks.

"Yeah, little brother," Dean replied, his own eyes tearing up. "We'll be back together before long. You'll see."

"I'm so sorry, Dean," Mary said. "You'll never understand how much."  
She held out the basket. "I brought some food. You must be hungry."

Dean nodded and took one of the fish rolls, but to his dismay, the taste was nothing like as awesome as he remembered. Battling the urge to spit the mouthful out, he swallowed it down, understanding that it wasn't just his tail he'd lost but...everything...!

:

"Dean, you're going to have to sleep on the shore tonight," his dad broke in. "Bobby Singer lives in Sioux Falls. It's gonna take him at least a day and a half to get here. Inside the duffel there's my old leather jacket. Put it on, the nights get fresh. Then take everything and go back to where you dug it out.  
You should be safe enough there until morning."

"Can't he sleep here next to us," Mary said, anguished at the idea of her son moving even further away from his family.

"It's dangerous for a young boy to sleep out in the open, Mary, even if this cove is secluded. Many things could happen. He's safer back among the rocks."

"I don't want to sleep," Dean declared. "I can stay here with you."

"No, son. We all need to rest, especially Sammy, and we can't do that if we have to worry for you."

John knew there would be no sleep for him tonight, he'd keep watch regardless, but his boys needed to have a few hours rest to wind down from today's events. Moreover, he wanted to talk to Mary without the kids listening in.

Dean nodded. Pulling the jacket out from the duffel he wriggled into it, though it ended up hanging off him.  
"G'night Sammy, mom, dad," he said, turning and making his way slowly into the rocky outcrop.

"Dean," Sam called. "I'm not going to sleep. I'll keep watch."  
But it wasn't long before John caught him as his youngest's eyes closed and his body relaxed, lowering the sleeping child onto a flat rock beneath the water.

:

"Did you get anything from the witch," he asked, turning to his wife.

Mary shook her head. "She says she can do nothing."

"Did you ask her why this happened?" John insisted.

Mary ducked her head before answering. "There was a curse attached to the spell, John. I never told you. I guess I kinda closed my eyes and hoped nothing would come of it."

"A curse!" John spluttered, horrified. "What kind of curse? Is that why Dean lost his tail?"

"The curse is tailored to the individual who asks for the spell. Possibly as you were a human it acted on that, turning Dean into one."

John exhaled, the water bubbling with his exasperation. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would it have made a difference?" she asked.

John thought back to how captivated he'd been by the exotic mermaid.  
"Probably not," he replied honestly.

Mary nodded. "So now what?" she sighed tiredly, surprised when John's strong arms pulled her close, entwining their tails together.

" An old friend of mine will be here sometime tomorrow. Dean will have to go with him. I trust Bobby implicitly. He'll look after our boy until we can solve this."

"How did you contact him?" she asked, surprised.  
"I've got my methods, sweetheart. You don't know everything about me, though you'd like to think you do."

"No, I don't suppose I do," she said, curling in even tighter.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

"Balls!"  
Bobby cursed the suspensions on his battered old truck, but it had been the only roadworthy vehicle on hand at that moment.  
His bones had registered every bump on the long road to the co-ordinates he'd been given.

Interspaced with the fucks directed to the truck, were those aimed at John Winchester.

Bobby had been more of a friend to John's dad than to John himself, but they'd remained in contact after the older Winchester's death, often sharing a coupla beers.

Then one day John had driven into Bobby's junk-yard with an incredible story of mer-people, an undiscovered race which lived beneath the ocean, the most populous groups inhabiting the Pacific, but present in other seas too.

John had been on a roll, babbling about mermaids and such. But Bobby had stopped him dead.

"Mer-people ...under the seas...no way!"

:

Taking a deep breath John had calmed himself down, sat Bobby at the table and explained it all unhurriedly. But still Bobby had just gaped at him with unbelieving eyes.

"Mermaids have been sighted all through the centuries," John had insisted.  
"Yeah, by sailors either too drunk on grog or dying of hunger and scurvy, probably hallucinating everything from Jesus to porn!" Bobby had replied with a snort.

That had been bad enough, Bobby reminisced, but then John had dropped the real bombshell.  
The idjit was going to undergo some weird spell in order to become a merman himself, because he'd fallen in love with "the most beautiful creature you've ever seen."

Bobby was aware that John believed what he was saying, but Bobby just couldn't.

:

With a melancholy glance, John had stood up. "I see I'm never gonna be able to convince you, Bobby," he'd said.  
"But I still want you to hold this for me."

He'd given Bobby a bond for a goodly sum of money. "I sold the house and put all the spare cash I had in this bank account. It's in both our names. You're the only one I could trust with this, dude. Hang on to it for ten years. If you don't see me again during that time, use the cash to give yourself a comfortable old age."

Bobby hadn't seen John Winchester again. That was going on more than thirteen years now, but the money was still there. Bobby hadn't touched a cent.

Then out of the blue, a phone call. The voice of a scared kid, saying he was John Winchester's boy, asking for his help and slapping a set of co-ordinates in his lap.

Bobby was all for brushing it off as a hoax, but why would anyone bother to use John's name after all this time?  
Besides, Bobby's curiosity had been tickled by John's certainties back then, and he'd brushed up on what he'd once thought was 'mermaid nonsense'.  
Along the way though, he'd discovered a lot of stuff. Wasn't only mer-people who shared the planet with humans!

:

So that's how he found himself approaching the Pacific Ocean after a long bumpy drive.

He parked the truck beside a run-down bar and made his way towards the water's edge, not quite sure which direction to take. He spotted a rock formation to his left and began walking towards it.  
As he drew closer, he could see a small figure hunched down on the sand... and if his eyes weren't deceiving him, a couple of heads bobbing in the water.

"Bobby!"  
He heard a familiar voice yell his name.

"Well, I'll be damned," Bobby exclaimed under his breath. It was unmistakably Winchester's voice.

John was treading water, a huge smile on his face, one which didn't quite reach his eyes though, Bobby reckoned.

The older man gazed past him and spotted other two swimmers, a blonde woman and a kid. He didn't miss the shape hunched down on the sand, which at Bobby's approach stood up and was fixing him with a green-eyed stare.

:

"Well I never!" Bobby exclaimed. pulling his cap from his head, giving his scalp a rub before settling it back down. "John Winchester, alive and kicking."

John grinned. "Alive, but not really kicking."

"So, don't tell me you got me all the way out here, driving like a madman just to say hello. Can't see as anything's wrong, " Bobby grumbled.

"No?" John asked. "You remember what I told you back then?"  
"Yeah," Bobby replied.

"Well, just look."

John disappeared underwater only to rise up and out like a dolphin, his powerful tail keeping him in equilibrium, before slicing back down through the water.

Bobby's mouth opened in an enormous 'O', causing the kid on the sand to chuckle.

"Jeez!" Bobby breathed. "You weren't kidding about mermen!"

:

"No, I wasn't. And now that you're a believer, I'll introduce my family. This is my wife, Mary, " John said, as the female came to bob beside her husband.  
"Pleased to meet you, ma'am," Bobby said doffing his cap to the beautiful blonde.  
Mary tilted her head in greeting.

"This is my youngest, Sam," John continued, taking the kid in his arms and lifting him out of the water, tail and all.  
"Put me down, Dad, " the little merboy said. "I'm not a baby."

Feisty little tyke, Bobby thought to himself, but inordinately cute.

"And that's Dean, my oldest," John finished nodding towards the boy standing on the sand.

It took Bobby a moment to calibrate his brain cells.  
There was something not right. The kid, dressed in clothes far too big for him, looking for all the world as if he'd just won a trip to hell, didn't have what the rest of them had, a tail.

"Your boy, then why...?"  
"That's why you're here, Bobby."  
And John proceeded to tell him what had happened.

"Kid, I'm sorry," Bobby said, turning eyes on Dean. "It must be rough on you."  
The boy looked as if he was ready to burst into tears, and Bobby averted his gaze.  
"So, how can I help, John?"

"I'd like you to look after Dean until we find a cure for this. He can't stay here on the shore forever. He needs a place to stay while we figure things out. You've been a good friend to our family and you're the only one I'd trust Dean to.  
Will you do it, Bobby?"

"Yeah. But you know I can't rush over here too often, John. It's a long journey from South Dakota. I don't think either you or the kid's gonna be happy with that."

"I hope it won't be for long. With Dean in a safe place, Mary and I can devote our time to setting things right."

" Fair enough. I'll be back on the first Saturday of each month to get an update. It's probably the only way we can communicate," Bobby offered.  
"Yeah. It's gonna have to do," John agreed.

:

Bobby didn't say what was on the tip of his tongue. If this was a curse, then could be Dean would never get back full-time with his family.  
"By the way, I still got your cash in the bank, Winchester. Never touched a penny."

"Use it for whatever Dean needs, " John said.

"Right, I'm gonna walk over there a bit. You'll all wanna say your goodbyes in private," Bobby sighed.

"Thank you, Bobby," Mary said. "I'll never forget what you're doing for us."

"Look after my big brother," Sam added, tears rolling down his cheeks.  
Bobby swallowed, turned, and strolled away, leaving the little family on its own.

:

Some time later, he felt a presence at his shoulder.  
Dean was standing there, an old duffel in his hands, drowned in a leather jacket which fell to his knees.

"I guess it's just you and me for now, kid," Bobby said.  
The boy stared at him with such suffering in his eyes it made Bobby weep inside, but he didn't let it show on his face.

"Come on, Dean. You're gonna get your first ride in a truck. Who knows, you might like it."  
tbc


	8. Chapter 8

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
Four Years Later.

In the dawning light of day a figure stood tall on the shore-line of the great ocean, the warm water lapping at his feet bringing back memories of how inebriating it was to liberate oneself in its depths, like a fish, like the merman he had been.

That, and so much more, was lost to him, cursed as he was by a deal his mother had made.  
But Dean wasn't going to go there now. It had happened, and the entire family had learned to live with the consequences.

Today was Sammy's twelfth birthday and Dean wouldn't miss it for the world.  
His own Crossover ceremony had brought only pain and loss, but Sam's would make up for it. Today his little brother would officially become an adult merman, in the custom of their race.

Glancing down at the cannisters lying on the sand at his feet, he reckoned there was enough oxygen for him to stay underwater a good few hours at least.

This was the first time he'd made the trip from Bobby's house to the ocean front alone.  
He'd officially gotten his driving license when he'd turned sixteen and though Bobby had wanted to come with him, Dean had said no, and when he'd seen the boy's stubborn expression, the older man had sighed and nodded.

"Just be careful, kid. I know you can drive like a veteran. But it's the others you gotta be wary of. There are all kinds of weirdos on the highways," Bobby had said.

Dean had clapped a comforting hand on the older man's shoulder. "Don't worry, man. I know what I'm doing."

"Yeah, but get back here in one piece, you hear me, or I'll come and whip your scrawny ass."  
" You and what platoon of marines!" Dean had grinned.

Dean knew Bobby had come to love him like a son, a sentiment that was totally reciprocated by the sixteen year old. He loved Bobby like a second dad.

But today, he'd be spending time with his family, with Sammy.  
Sure, it wasn't like before.  
Now he had to use the diving gear, relegating him to silence underwater, but at least he'd be able to participate in Sam's big day.

He began to pace, impatient now, his bare feet leaving imprints on the sand.

His parents were coming for him.  
They'd help carry his gear through the water and offer their physical support as he swam the miles back to where the mer-people had their home.  
This way he'd save the oxygen in the tanks for when he arrived.

A few years ago, his dad and granddad had rigged up a kind of artificial island a few yards square, cobbled together from driftwood, coral and whatever else they picked up that would float.  
They'd attached it to a tether and kept it below water, letting it come to the surface when Dean visited, in case he needed to breathe air urgently, or there was an emergency with the diving gear or if he simply needed to rest above water.

Dean still remembered that day, the day of his own Crossover, when he'd experienced the terrifying sensation of drowning in the very waters he'd been born in.

It had only been Bobby's patience and encouragement, plus the sporadic visits to his family that had carried him through the dark moments.

Despite his gruff manner, Bobby had given Dean all the time he needed to work through his grief, but he'd also known how to motivated the traumatized boy, and the first thing he'd insisted on was that Dean learn how to use a mask and respirator for scuba diving.

The kid's eyes had lit up with hope. "Does this mean I can go underwater with my family?" he'd asked.  
"Yeah. For a stretch of time anyhow," Bobby had replied. "But it's better than nothing."  
After that, Dean had little by little placed his trust and faith in Bobby, his respect and love growing for the older man day by day.

Needless to say, Dean had acquired the skill in record time, impressing his instructor with his swimming prowess too.  
"You swim like a fish," he'd observed." Why don't you try out for your school team?"

Dean had kept mute about the fact that he hadn't yet tried our for a school, yet alone a school team.  
Whenever Bobby had proposed that he enrol in Sioux Falls High, Dean always refused, but with time, Bobby had managed that miracle too.

§§§§§§§§§

When in the distance Dean saw the bobbing heads, not two as he'd expected, but three, his face creased into a smile. Sammy was there too. It was going to be a fantastic day.

He'd already undressed and stowed away his bag in the spot amid the rocks.  
He was wearing swim pants, not because he was embarrassed to swim naked, not in the least, but he didn't want to look any freakier than he already was by letting his human genitals hang out.

Although the mer-people would never be so impolite as to remark on his junk, as they never had about his legs, he knew as soon as he was out of sight, they'd whisper and sigh about the awful calamity that had fallen on the Winchester family.

He jumped into the pool in time to be hugged by his dad and mom, with Sam throwing himself upon the heap of them.  
"Dean, It's so good to see you, my baby," his mom said. "How you've grown."

"Hey, son. Where's Bobby, " John asked, noting the absence of the older man. Bobby usually hung around to say hi, before disappearing until it was time to come back for Dean.

"I came on my own this time, " Dean grinned proudly. "I got my driver's license first go."

"Hey," Sam bitched. "Let me through mom, dad. It's my Crossover day. It's only fair I get my brother to myself."

"You bet, squirt, " Dean chuckled pulling his little brother into his arms. "You don't know how much I've missed you, Sammy. So fucking much."

"Me too Dean. But now you're here and we get to pass the entire day together."

"Yeah, " Dean replied. "We're gonna have a great time. I even got a present for you, little brother."  
Sam's eyes lit up "Can I have it now," he asked.

"Uh, Uh! Only kids who have had their Crossover can handle this." Dean grinned.

John gave a snort. "You boys never change. Go pick up all your gear on the sand, Dean and we'll get back. Your grandparents are anxious to see you, not to mention that preparations are in full swing for the party."

Dean complied and soon the little family of four was racing through the surface of the water, their human member in tow.  
tbc


	9. Chapter 9

Squatting cross-legged on the little floating island, Dean strapped on his diving gear.  
With a final grin to his waiting family, he slipped the mouthpiece between his lips and let himself fall backwards into the ocean.

Embraced by the warm water, the sixteen-year old allowed himself a moment of communion with the life-giving liquid, before upping his thumb and following his family down towards their underwater home.

Although Dean loved visiting, the heartache of no longer belonging beneath the waves stabbed into him like a living thing.  
He was an outcast, banished to the dry world above, bereft of his family, even if they were still alive.

But he pushed the negative thoughts away. Today was Sam's special day. No recriminations, only celebrations!

He reached out a hand to ruffle his little brother's hair, receiving a robust swipe to his ass as Sam did an acrobatic roll and whupped him with his tail.

With a teasing grin, the young merman swam off, his hair flowing around his head like a halo, to be followed by Dean, intent on returning the favour.

There was no competition however.  
Without his tail, Dean had no chance of catching his speedy baby brother. In fact, Sam had stopped swimming, suspended in the water, a huge smile on his face as he looked back at his tortoise of a sibling.

Dean gave him the finger, causing Sam's smile to widen,  
Having introduced his little brother to human swear words and signs on previous visits, Sammy had no doubts as to their meaning!

Swimming back to his big brother's side, Sam grasped his hand and they continued the dive together, down to the construct that was their underwater home.

Dean soon found himself enfolded in the arms of his grandparents, their eyes warm yet sad as they studied him.  
"You've grown, Dean, You'd have made a powerful merman..." his grandfather began, only to be elbowed by his wife, her tail trembling with disapproval.

"Quiet, Samuel," Deanna said rolling her eyes. "Dean is perfect as he is."  
"Dad!" Mary echoed, adding her reproof to that of her mother.

Her husband sighed, but said no more, merely clapping his grandson on the shoulder.

Dean held up a hand, wishing with all his heart he could answer, but he'd once tried removing his mouthpiece to speak, and it just wasn't practicable.

"It sucks," Sam said, never leaving Dean's side. "But even if you can't talk it's great having you here."  
Dean tilted his head in agreement.

Later the two boys would sneak back up to the little island, and Dean would tell his baby brother all that had happened in the dry world, about school, about Bobby and of human girls-and Sam would listen, eyes wide-rapt by Dean's stories.

Now and then Mary's eyes would drift to her sons.  
She had done this, separated the two boys, causing them such unhappiness, yet if she hadn't married John, then Dean and Sam would never have been born, and somehow that seemed more of a sin to her than having asked the witch to cast a spell.

Dean might not be able to stay with his family, but at least he was alive and otherwise healthy.

When some time later, the unthinkable happened, and the entire family was once again thrown into the depths of despair, Mary cursed her optimistic thoughts.

John and Mary felt they were living through some horrendous deja vu as they took in the sight of Dean, his arms wrapped tight around his baby brother, cradling him in his strong embrace.

Sam's body was racked with seizures, his mouth open in a silent scream as his body was rearranged, his tail rupturing down its length to form itself into two flesh coloured limbs.

They continued to watch, unable to move even when Dean pulled the mouthpiece of the breathing tube from his mouth and pushed it into Sam's, his rubber-webbed feet kicking out powerfully as he headed for the surface, his precious burden in his arms.

Heaving Sammy onto the little floating island, Dean drew his little brother back into his arms.  
Sam was trembling, the violence of the metamorphosis having drained the twelve-year old of every molecule of energy.

"Hey, it's okay, Sammy," Dean murmured into his brother's hair. "It'll be okay. I'm here. I'm always gonna be here."

While Sam sobbed in his brother's embrace, Dean looked down at his sibling's body. The cute tail had vanished leaving two slim legs in its place.

Dean knew it was wrong, but he couldn't quash the little mote of happiness that came to the fore. He was no longer alone. He had Sam. He had his little brother..  
tbc


	10. Epilogue

His big brother's jacket covering his nudity, Sam lingered shyly behind him as Bobby opened the front door to Dean's knocking.

The older man's eyes popped wide when he caught sight of the tousled-haired kid peeking out from behind the taller boy's back.  
"Hi, Bobby. Got another refugee for you," Dean said his voice a mix of sadness and contentment.

Bobby stood back to allow them to enter. "Dean?" Bobby asked. "What's goin' on?"

"The curse. Seems it took Sammy too. Mom couldn't find a way to break it. The witch who cast it closed up shop, she's untraceable for now."  
Dean placed a possessive arm across his little brother's shoulders, the signs of dried tears visible on the child's face. "Can Sammy stay here, until I manage to find a place for us to..."

"Stop right there, Dean!" Bobby grunted. " You ain't going nowhere. There's plenty of room for another kid here. I promised your idiot daddy I'd look after you. You think I'd not do the same for Sam?"

He studied the younger boy.

"Go find your brother some clothes. he must be freezing. The air he's breathing now ain't warm and balmy like the ocean currents.  
Then we'll talk."

Dean nodded. Hands on Sam's shoulders, he directed his sibling towards the stairs, his heart light despite Sam's predicament.  
He hated that Sammy would be separated from Mom and Dad and his life beneath the waves, but part of him soared free like a eagle, happy to have his beloved baby brother by his side.

They wouldn't stop looking for a way to reverse the spell, though Dean wasn't sure even if they did find it, he'd go back to his old life

The Dry Land had lots to offer too and he was looking forward to showing Sammy all of it.

"Come on squirt, " he said, ruffling Sam's hair "We'll sort this out and while we do, I'll introduce you to the perks of the humans."

Sam looked up at his brother, the pain for his abrupt wrench from his parents dimming a little.  
Dean was with him. Dean would protect and love him just as he'd done under the waves, and Sam would do the same for his big brother.

Together, there was nothing they couldn't do.

The end


End file.
